The present invention relates to packaging of absorbent products and methods of communicating absorbent product features to customers.
A broad range of absorbent products exists in the art. Examples of commonly available absorbent products include adult care products such as incontinence pads; child care products such as diapers and training pants; feminine care products such as sanitary pads, panty liners, inter-labial absorbent articles, and tampons; and other absorbent products such as bathroom tissue, paper towels, hand wipes, face wipes, perineal wipes, facial tissue, wound care dressings, and bandages. These products are commonly available for retail sale through grocery stores, convenience stores, supermarkets, and other retail outlets.
Each absorbent product may include various combinations of qualities, features, and/or characteristics designed to improve the performance, comfort, quality, and/or appearance of the product. By their nature, absorbent products are personal and private items, and consumers often have strong purchase preferences for the various qualities, features, and/or characteristics available in the absorbent products.
Manufacturers continually develop, refine, and improve the qualities, features, and/or characteristics of absorbent products. Manufacturers package absorbent products in sealed containers, such as boxes, bags, or wrappers, to ensure cleanliness and sanitation. Typically, the container holds multiple absorbent products having identical qualities, features, and/or characteristics. The product packaging generally includes a description of the particular absorbent product; however, the product packaging necessarily prevents the consumer from directly sensing the various qualities, features, and/or characteristics of the product prior to purchase.
As a result, consumers must select and purchase a particular product based solely on the product promotion and description present on the packaging without the ability to directly touch, see, and inspect the product. Consumers who cannot read, are in too much of a hurry to read, have poor vision, or otherwise forego reading the description on the product packaging may select and purchase a particular product without directly touching or inspecting the product. This may result in embarrassment, distress, confusion, or mistakes in selecting a particular absorbent product for purchase and use. Therefore, the need exists for an improved packaging system and method to communicate the qualities, features, and/or characteristics of absorbent products to consumers prior to purchase.